


Soapbox Steve

by Perpetual Motion (perpetfic)



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-13
Updated: 2012-09-13
Packaged: 2017-11-14 04:31:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/511343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/perpetfic/pseuds/Perpetual%20Motion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for the prompt: Steve, Thor, Cultural Literacy. Yet another reporter asks those same damned questions of Steve.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Soapbox Steve

**Author's Note:**

  * For [the_wordbutler](https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_wordbutler/gifts).



There’s a white board in the shared kitchen space at the tower. Half of it is dedicated to grocery lists, phone messages, and the occasional reminders to Tony that the toaster does NOT need an upgrade (because it caught fire the last time, you idiot). The other half is a scoreboard.

STEVE is says in blue, and then THOR in red, and under each name is a series of boxes, and in those boxes are events. Steve’s lists “baseball games,” and “internet” and “texting.” Thor’s lists “Thai food” and “24-hour news” and “walking quietly.” 

“And what’s this?” The reporter asks. His name is Jenkins, and he’s with Rolling Stone, and he’s doing a whole piece on the Avengers and the tower and how they all work together.

“Who got it first,” Tony says. Jenkins looks confused. “Culturally,” he says. “We’re keeping track of what they know.”

Jenkins looks at the list. Steve’s side also includes, “women’s lib” and “gay rights.” Thor’s does not. “You’re not teaching Thor about those?” he asks, tapping his finger on the two lines.

“Thor didn’t need to be taught,” Tony says. “He’s buddies with some warrior lady named Sif, and he knows the Valkyries, and ‘gay’ isn’t really something that happens on Asgard as much as ‘orgies.’”

“But you had to teach these to Captain America?”

“Teach me what?” Steve asks as he walks into the kitchen. He sees Jenkins looking at the list and rolls his eyes. “Is this the gay rights question?” he asks Tony.

“And women’s lib,” Tony replies.

“Of course,” Steve huffs. He gives Jenkins a long look. Jenkins squirms a little. “I didn’t have to be taught any of it,” he says. “I knew the basics. I just had to be caught up. I’m not a sexist or against gay people or anything, okay?”

“But growing up—” Jenkins starts, and Steve’s sigh makes him stop.

“Did I grow up in a time where women were heavily subjugated and homosexuality was seen as a sickness? Yes. But you know what, son, for all the strides we’ve made since then, not a whole lot has changed.”

“You mean—”

“I mean that the continual attempts for people to decide that what they think about a person or a group of people should be the final say isn’t new to me. And it wasn’t new to my generation, and I’m disappointed that in seventy years, we haven’t shaken off the idea that just because we have a set of ideas means that it’s the best idea.”

“What Cap is saying,” Tony interjects, “Is that he’s over the bullshit that he’s got old-fashioned opinions.”

“Yes,” Steve agrees. “Or that the opinions I do have should matter to anybody besides myself. I’m not here to tell people what to think. I’m here to keep people safe from objective, unquestionable threats.”

“And what does that mean to you?” Jenkins asks.

“I don’t like bullies,” Steve says.

“And who are the bullies in this day and age?”

“The same ones as in my day,” Steve says. “Bullies are always the same. Even if their faces change. I didn’t like them when they were Nazis, and I don’t like them now when they’re people spewing hate because other people live their lives.”

“But don’t you think—”

“I grew up in Isolationist times. Roosevelt wanted us to be left alone. It didn’t work that time, but you know, it worked for a good long while, and it’s not a bad view on the world. Don’t put your nose in business that’s not yours, and don’t make up business that isn’t your concern.”

Jenkins thinks for a few seconds. Tony pushes himself up onto the counter and leans back, waiting for the rest of the show.

“Are you saying you don’t care about the plight of gay people?” Jenkins asks. “Or are you saying you don’t want to have an opinion on it?”

“My opinion is that they’re people,” Steve says. “Same as you. Same as me. And if they’re people, they have rights. And if they’re not getting those rights, that’s not right, and I know there’s more than just gay people. There’s bisexuals and pansexuals and asexuals and all kinds of different ways people are identifying themselves now, and some of it I’m still sorting out in my head, but my not always knowing the right word or explanation doesn’t mean they’re any less valid.”

“And what about women?” Tony prompts. “Those scary, scary things.”

Steve laughs. “The toughest people I’ve ever known were women. They’d have to be for how I met them and worked with them. Peggy Carter…” for just a moment, Steve slips out of the conversation. Tony touches him on the arm, and Steve comes back. “There were men in my day who thought women needed to be protected,” Steve says after a moment. “And I can’t say I don’t have some of that instinct myself, but I knew too many women on my own to believe that women need any more protection than men.”

“What does that mean?” Jenkins asks.

“It means that some people can take care of themselves and some people need help,” Steve says. “And neither of those is the wrong way to be.”

Jenkins blinks a few times, and Tony actually feels a little sympathy for him. Cap’s got a way of delivering truths that can cause momentary brain collapse. “So,” Tony says to try and restart the man’s thought processes. “Anything else?”

“I…” Jenkins shakes his head and looks at the whiteboard again. “How’d Thor find the Thai food?”

“Thor!” Tony yells. “Wanna go for Thai?”

There’s no answer but the sound of running feet, and then Thor is in the kitchen, eyes wide, grin wider. “Did you speak of Thai, Tony?”

“Yup. Come on. We’re buying the reporter dinner.” Tony glances at Steve. “You up for it?”

“Let’s get the whole team,” Steve replies. “It’s been awhile.”

“Good call,” Tony says. He slings an arm around Jenkins before Jenkins can get away. “For the record,” he says in an undertone, “you’ll be apologizing for your assumptions of the good Captain before I pick up the bill tonight.”

“Yes,” Jenkins agrees looking absolutely terrified. “Yes, Sir.”


End file.
